


Prestidigitation

by Violsva



Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: 221B Ficlet, Background Angst, Gen, Stage Magic, Watson's Woes July Writing Prompts 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-01
Updated: 2015-08-01
Packaged: 2018-04-12 08:25:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4472285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violsva/pseuds/Violsva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I would like to say that stage magic is completely different from my normal occupation, but I would be lying.</p><p>Connected to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/series/49794">Arte Regendus</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prestidigitation

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Up In the Gallery](https://archiveofourown.org/works/995832) by [Violsva](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violsva/pseuds/Violsva). 



> For Watson's Woes July Writing [Prompt #31](http://watsons-woes.livejournal.com/1431507.html). This is a bit of background to [Up In the Gallery](http://archiveofourown.org/works/995832).

I would like to say that stage magic is completely different from my normal occupation, but I would be lying.

What I focus on is the collection of evidence. But Watson’s stories are not entirely inaccurate, and he is right that I have a certain love of drama and applause. Sleight of hand and illusion are useful enough for the less scientific aspects of detective work, and chemistry of course is a tool with myriad uses. I decided to look upon it as practice, and a source of amusement.

I was rather short on amusement, during those two years of hunting down the hundred trails of Moriarty’s influence.

So I cheerfully accepted the applause for my tricks, and when I wasn’t sneaking around backstage I let myself fall into character and enjoy it. Having this audience, for this mostly different work, allowed me to ignore the lack of another audience – though he was, or had been, far more than that. But it was for his own safety that I was keeping him away from the Moriarty case.

And then, of course, I slipped out for a smoke before the show just as that part of my investigations was drawing to a close, and saw Watson – the Watsons, both of them – approaching me through the milling crowd in front of the building.


End file.
